| A web hosting service is a type of Internet | | | | more comprehensive package that provides |
| hosting service that allows individuals and | | | | database support and application development |
| organizations to provide their own website | | | | platforms (e.g. PHP, Java, Ruby on Rails, |
| accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts | | | | ColdFusion, and ASP.NET). These facilities allow the |
| are companies that provide space on a server | | | | customers to write or install scripts for |
| they own or lease for use by their clients as well | | | | applications like forums and content management. |
| as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a | | | | For e-commerce, SSL is also highly |
| data center. Web hosts can also provide data | | | | recommended.The host may also provide an |
| center space and connectivity to the Internet for | | | | interface or control panel for managing the Web |
| servers they do not own to be located in their | | | | server and installing scripts as well as other |
| data center, called colocation. Hosting is broadly | | | | services like e-mail. Some hosts specialize in |
| divided into shared hosting, dedicated hosting | | | | certain software or services (e.g. e-commerce). |
| and VPS Hosting. | | | | They are commonly used by larger companies to |
| Service scope | | | | outsource network infrastructure to a hosting |
| The scope of hosting services varies widely. The | | | | company. |
| most basic is web page and small-scale file | | | | Hosting reliability and uptime |
| hosting, where files can be uploaded via File | | | | Hosting uptime refers to the percentage of time |
| Transfer Protocol (FTP) or a Web interface. The | | | | the host is accessible via the internet. Many |
| files are usually delivered to the Web "as is" or | | | | providers state that they aim for at least 99.9% |
| with little processing. Many Internet service | | | | uptime (roughly equivalent to 45 minutes of |
| providers (ISPs) offer this service free to their | | | | downtime a month, or less), but there may be |
| subscribers. People can also obtain Web page | | | | server restarts and planned (or unplanned) |
| hosting from other, alternative service providers. | | | | maintenance in any hosting environment, which |
| Personal web site hosting is typically free, | | | | may or may not be considered part of the official |
| advertisement-sponsored, or cheap. Business web | | | | uptime promise.Many providers tie uptime and |
| site hosting often has a higher expense. | | | | accessibility into their own service level agreement |
| Single page hosting is generally sufficient only for | | | | (SLA). SLAs sometimes include refunds or |
| personal web pages. A complex site calls for a | | | | reduced costs if performance goals are not met. |